General Care Discussion :: I just got my turtles....and..

[tbs00152]

Hello i just got my turtles and i was wondering how big they will get? also how fast do they grow?

[marisa]

Adult males average 6-9 inches, females can average 10-12 inches. Growth depends in some part on genetics, but factors like warmth and diet also play a role. Overfeeding, especially high protein foods, will cause faster growth, as will warmer temps. Overfeeding and a diet that's steadily high in protein will contribute to shell and health problems. You don't want your turtles to grow really fast, you want slow, steady growth.

How big are your turtles now (shell lengths not including the curve)?

Your avatar is too big...

[SpotsMama]

Here's some additional info on how much and what to feed:

http://www.redearslider.com/index_nutrition.html

[xsavingsaturdayx]

If that is you're turtle in the picture you have up, it looks like it barely has enough water to completely submerge. Fill up the tank with as much water you're tank can hold. RES do well in deep water.


Can you explain you're setup to us?

Another thing, i would take all those rocks out. You're turtle isnt going to benefit from it all. All it will do is trap in debri and foul the water. A few river rocks (bigger than you're turtles head) spread at the bottom are fine, but too much isnt.

[aeo]

if you like a pet that can grow up fast, RES is not for you. Turtule have a long life ( some have much more than us ^__^ ).

[Tenodera]

Not meaning to steal your thread, But if a hatchling turtle grows bigger faster, does it mean it has a lower mortality rate?
Like I mean we all know that hatchlings die easily, right?
If the hatchling grew up slowly wouldn't it have more chances to fall ill?
If it grew larger faster wouldn't it have a less mortality rate when it's big?

[aeo]

Not at all. In first one year, RES grow faster than other period. But in few years later, it grow much more slower. That's normal.
If your hatching turtle grow faster than usual, there must be problem ( over feeding, ... ) so it may have more risk
We need turtle grow steady and as slow as usual

[industrial_girl_2000]

Not meaning to steal your thread, But if a hatchling turtle grows bigger faster, does it mean it has a lower mortality rate?
Like I mean we all know that hatchlings die easily, right?
If the hatchling grew up slowly wouldn't it have more chances to fall ill?
If it grew larger faster wouldn't it have a less mortality rate when it's big?

Nope. Hatchlings have a higher mortality rate because many of them are born sick, or don't get the proper environment *right from the minute they hatch from the egg*. Just like a human baby in that regard since human babies have different requirements than an adult.

It's best to feed them *correctly* right from the start (and provide the right environment). Then the growth/health will take care of itself.

[tbs00152]

i have a 10 gallon tank and its about half way full. i have rocks and other things for them to bask in. any input ?

[iac637]

You will need more then a 10 gallon tank soon, and make sure they can't swallow the rocks.

[SpotsMama]

Put as much water in the tank as you can except not so full that the turtle can climb out and escape. Turtles are aquatic and love to swim and dive, plus keeping more water in the tank will help with water quality.

Where rocks are concerned, small rocks are dangerous because turtles swallow them and they get stuck in the digestive tract. A few larger river rocks are good because they add interest to the tank and turtles like to play with them. Too many, however, are not good because they trap debris and make it a lot harder to keep the tank clean.

There are lots of neat options for basking platforms. Look through the photo gallery and the indoor habitat sections and you can see examples of everything from home made platforms to store bought expensive ones. The only rules are that the platform needs to be easy for the turtle to climb up on, not so close to the basking light that the turtle can touch the light and get burned, and the turtle needs to be able to get completely dry while basking (to maintain shell health). With deeper water in the tank, I don't think the rock stacks are going to work. They take up too much space and they could fall over and hurt the turtle. But never fear, there are lots of good alternatives!

[Hoooneylynn]

I assuming your turts are at least 1 inch each, so your tank is already too small. You need 10 gallons per inch per turt... so you need at least a 20... that is, if they are only 1 inch... and they will grow fast, so look into getting probably a 55 gallon in the next few months. Thats my suggestion. How many turts do you have?

[pumpkinsherbet]

Adult males average 6-9 inches, females can average 10-12 inches. Growth depends in some part on genetics, but factors like warmth and diet also play a role. Overfeeding, especially high protein foods, will cause faster growth, as will warmer temps. Overfeeding and a diet that's steadily high in protein will contribute to shell and health problems. You don't want your turtles to grow really fast, you want slow, steady growth.

oh i hope mine aren't growing too fast... i've had them since new years eve and they've both grown about 3/4" (give a centimeter or two).

i've also heard habitat affects growth, like if you have them in a smaller tank it can stunt it. adapting to habitat or something. i have been meaning to ask about that. it seems weird, but i've heard of stranger things.

[xsavingsaturdayx]

Its a myth that keeping a turtle (RES) in a small tank will keep it small forever, that is wrong. If you provide it with all the right needs (right foods etc), it will still grow. Regardless how small of an enclosure.

[pumpkinsherbet]

thank you